Hello Alex,
I spent some time on 222.100 as did a few others including WZ1V and
VE3DS while running a sked or two. I tend to stay off it during high
activity periods, but your idea is a good one if everybody quickly QSYs
off the calling freq immediately. With very weak signals, sometimes it
is hard to convey a QSY frequency! Most people try to find a frequency
far away to avoid key clicks or splatter from a local station. In my
case, WA1T is 2.5 miles away on the other side of the lake in NH. We
have to separate to hear the weak ones. Generally 30 kHz is adequate.
As far as the Activity Evening went, I was surprised at some of the
signals. We had a slug of rain with a weather front extending from SW to
NE and situated right over the East coast, so I figured signals would be
awful. It was raining off and on at my house. Still, we had some good
QSB peaks that allowed some nice contacts. VA3ELE managed to move his
222 yagi off to his club station for the June Contest, so was not
available now, but VE3DS in FN03 was on and we found each other quickly
on CW. He was peaking up so well, that I called him on SSB after our CW
contact and we had a nice rag chew on SSB! Dana was peaking up quite
loud in fact, on SSB! I had multiple QSOs with K1PXE and K1DS on SSB.
Actually, I almost had three QSOs with K1DS. I called him on FT-8 and
was happily exchanging reports with tones centered at 1846 Hz. Then
N1SV came on calling CQ at about 1810 Hz or thereabouts and I never
could hear K1DS again via the FT-8 mode. Les's signal sounded quite
clean and i was surprised that it made K1DS go away. Maybe I am
learning why I do not do so well on FT-8. So, later on I heard K1DS on
SSB on 222.100 again, and we chatted as to why I could not complete with
him on FT-8. You know, with CW or SSB, your ears tell you that there is
a QRM problem. On FT-8, the computer is pretty dumb and does not tell
you much of anything! So my score with SSB vs FT-8 and K1DS is 2-0 for SSB!
I ended the night with 16 stations worked and a few multiple QSOs to
make 19 or 20 contacts. WW2Y and N1SV were worked on both SSB/CW and
FT-8. The FN12 boys, KA2LIM and W9KXI were on making noise. They are
always on for the Tuesday night fireworks! Best contact of the evening
was WA3EOQ in FM09jo on CW at over 500 miles. It was a squeaker as he
was only audible on QSB peaks. I was calling CQ and Howard said he would
look for me. I tweaked my antenna to about 242 degrees while CQing. When
I listened after the 2nd CQ, I could tell that there was a signal there
buried in the noise. I kept going and soon the signals peaked up to
barely copyable and it was Howard. I sent my calls and grid but he faded
for a few sequences. He started back up in strength and I barely heard
him again with his grid etc. He was only really copyable for about 45
seconds spread out over maybe 7 or 10 minutes! It was enough for a
contact, however. I consider it remarkable as there was that weather
front situated right along the axis of the path between our two
locations! All the rain and atmospheric turbulence did not do much to
help things! I think the weather system killed any hopes of hearing
KM4KMU in FM16. I made noise in that direction and did a lot of
listening, but no copy this time. Thanks for trying John.
More later....I am off for some fishing!
Dave K1WHS
ps. The Version 3.0 power supply worked just fine. at one point, I
smelled something that was hot. I think it was assorted dust and crud
burning off the power resistors in my bleeder chain. 2 X 40K 200 watt
wirewound power resistors had not seen any heat in a few decades, so it
took a few minutes to boil off the dust and dirt! Does anyone need a
6000 volt rated 183 MFD filter cap bank? I have one available. I think
it would power an electric car for 20 or 30 miles!
On 6/23/2021 8:52 AM, Alex wrote:
I didn't hear a peep either on 222.100.
I was busy working so could not call CQ, but was monitoring .100 in case I
heard someone and could do a quick exchange. I did see CW on .125 but by the
time I got there the signal was gone.
Then it occurred to me that since this is not a contest but an event to generate
activity, why not use .100 for skeds arranged online? If the frequency is not busy, use
it, and perhaps you may pick up a lurker. If it's busy, well, you can arrange for a
different frequency online, or simply agree to always check "up 5" as well.
It's of little use to have a calling frequency that doesn't get utilized.
At least with FT8, you know where people will show up, which is a huge plus.
That's probably what I should have monitored.
73,
--Alex KR1ST
On Jun 22, 2021, 9:31 PM, at 9:31 PM, nosigma--- via VHFcontesting
<vhfcontesting@contesting.com> wrote:
Nothing heard on any bearing, ssb or CW here. Called SSB and on CW
every 30 deg around the compass twice with special effort to the N & NE
and bearing to K1WHS.
Anyone hear me on SSB or CW?
Always fun to try. Maybe next tuesday. Sea level is not as much fun
as mountain topping Hi Hi.
73JohnKM4KMU 73
Sent from the all new AOL app for Android
On Tue, Jun 22, 2021 at 21:22, Rick R<rick1ds@hotmail.com> wrote: It
was like the good old times for me tonight. I have a rental apartment
for the summer in Blue Bell, PA, FN30ie outside of Philly, near where I
used to own a home before I moved to Florida. I have my IC735 and a 3
element WA5VJB antenna that I stick out the window here facing north. I
popped in on K1WHS just after 7PM and we had a brief SSB chat. I also
worked WW2Y on CW, K1PXE on CW, WZ1V on SSB and WA2VNV on FT8. I had a
partial with K1WHS on FT8 also, and I copied N1SV on FT8, but I wasn't
prepared to send when I copied his sigs. I listened for some of the
FN12 stations but nothing heard. Hope I can make it again on other Tues
eves. I'll be up in RI this weekend and visiting the W1OP Providence
Radio Association gang to operate Field Day. 73, Rick K1DS
_______________________________________________
VHFcontesting mailing list
VHFcontesting@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
_______________________________________________
VHFcontesting mailing list
VHFcontesting@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
______________________________________________________________
NEWSVHF mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/newsvhf
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:NEWSVHF@mailman.qth.net
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
_______________________________________________
VHFcontesting mailing list
VHFcontesting@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
|